The Portland daily press., 1887-03-22
THE moNsoN SHORT LINE.
a Road that WiII Indirectly Benefit
Portland.
To the Editor of the Press:

NuONnONs IL 1901.
When the Canadian Pacific Railroad is
completed it will be the shortest all railroad
line between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
One hundred and twenty-five miles of this
railway will be within the State of Maine in
the counties of Piscataquis, Somerset and Pc
nobscot In Piscataquis it touches at the
foot of MooSehead lake, which is the largest
inland body Of water in New England, it be-
ing forty miles in length, famous summer
resort, and an important highway for the
transportation of merchandise connected
with the Kennebec and Penobscot numbering
business.
The Canadian Pacific will also connect
with two other roads in Piscataquis county,
the Bangor 81 Piscataquis and the Katahdin
Iron Works Road. In Penobscot county the
Canadian Pacific will make a junction at
Mattawamkeag with the European and North
American, now a pratt of the Maine Central
system.
The Canadian Pacific will penetrate the
heart of the great spruce and pine forests of
Maine, where is carried ON the bulk of her
| great lumber industry. 1t taps her most pop
ular interior SIMMER resorts, and enters
new and primitive country, vast in domain
and rich in latent resources.
1t Is very doubtful if the most sangune
person can now anticipate the revolution
that this railroad system will make in the
business OF the State of Maine. 1t will
change the geographical more than one Of its
counties, and will have an important infiu-
ence upon its future transportation systems.
Many railroad men in New England, and
nearly all in Maine have realized this fact
for years. and have fastened to place their
roads in an attitude TO connect with, or de-
rive benefits from this line
Far seeing railroad men have for long
While understood that among the successful
railroads of the near future would be short
connecting line between the Canadian Pacific
and the Maine Central system and the sea-
board of Maine. Several companies have al
ready been organized for this purpose. No
road can ever be built which will be so short
and direct between these two great systems
as the proposed road from Pittsfeld to the
loot Of Moosehead lake, as may be. seen by
| consulting the maps of Maine. 1t starts at
/ one OF the most important points on the
Maine Central, Pittsfeld, which is near
| Burnham Junction, the terminus of the Bel
fast railroad. Thus it will be in direct and
short communication with the port of Bel
FAST 1t runs through twelve manufacturing
and.rlch farming towns, aud is in close prox-
unity to as many more. 1t passes through
Monson where are six slate quarres, which
manufacture about one thousand car loads of
roofing slate each year.
Along its line are five wooden factories and
nifty other important manufactures, including
the Wllllmantle Linen Company in the town
OF Willimantic, six miles from Monson,
which makes all of the spools used by that
company at Willimantic, Conn.
In the. year 1886 Hon. Thomas Temple,
M. r., OF Frederickton, n. b., became inter-
ested in this project, and he became satisfied
that 1t was destined to become one Of the
most important railroads in New England,
and with what aid was furnished by the
town of Hartland he furnished the money to
build the first link in the system. During
the year 1886 the first rails were laid from
Plttsheld to Hartland. This is known as
the Sebasticeok g. Moosehead railroad. and
Is now in operation for distance of eight
miles.
In 1888 the owners of the slate quarries at
Monson organized under the general rail
r nq laws OF Maine what is known as the
Monson railroad, and built a line six miles
IN length, extending from Monson Junction
| on the Bangor d Piscataquis, in the town of
| Abbot to Monson village.
In 1885 the. Legislature of Maine gave this
company charter to extend their line from
| Monsoon village to Greenville, and from Mon
son junction into and through the town Of
Wellington,
During the present session Of the Maine
Legislature an attempt was made by the
Bangor q Piscataquis railroad to repeal this
charter, but it failed.
Since the Sebasticook g. Moosehead rail-
ROAD was built to Hartland the owners have
organized another company from Hartland
to Wellington, known as the Harmony &
Wellington railroad company. The money
is all subscribed for this link, which perfects
the system, and will be built during the com
ing summer. The distance of this link is
twelve miles.
The Monson company have 30 miles to
Dulld to complete their part of the system
from Wellington to Greenville. They have
raised their capital stock and have issued
100000 worth Of bonds, which are now be-
Ing sold Tor this purpose. 1t is now quite
certain this road will be built within the
next year. 1t will be road which must
prove OF great importance to Portland, Lew
lston, Bath, and other parts of western
Maine, for it will bring these places about
7Omiles nearer Moosehead Lake and the Ca
madam Pacific railroad, and that great re-
gion which it will open up and develop.
Now all of the business of western Piseata-
quis and the Moosehead lake region going to
Portland and Boston has to go By way of
the Bangor y Plscataquis railroad by way
| Of Bangor, which is about as far from Bos-
| ton as Greenville and Monson would be if
| this short line was built. When this dis
lance OF from 66 to 70 miles is saved.
| when the country which the building of the
Canadian Pacific IS developed, business
| will be furnished which cannot fail to great
| land.
| More than %, Opeople from the New Eng
land, New York, and the Southern States
NOW duuudlly WISH Tie mOOSoneaQ Lake re-
gion and the Mount Kineo resort to say
nothing Of the thousands who visit the Mon
| son lakes and ponds, Sebec Lake and other
| small resorts in this part Of Maine. Now all
| of these people are compelled to spend one
| and half days, or one whole night and
nearly a whole day in making the closet con
| nections between Boston and these resorts
| When this new road is built the journey can
| be made from Boston to Kineo in one day.
| This will increase the summer travel into
Maine very much.
The following table will show the short
| line system, the parts built and what remain
to be constructed:
Miles
Pittsfield TO Hartland (built ..................
| Hartand to Wellington Ito be built .........13
! Wellington to Mons0n Junction ito be built 10
| Monsoon junction to MonS0n (built ............ 9
Monson to Greenyllle Ito be built) ............15
lOldls.+ ..........-..-. ..--............. Ol
Total From Pittsfeld to Greenyille by
present route. ........................123
Total: From Pittsfleld to Greenville via
snort lne..-...........-..- .............67
Number of miles saved by short line. .......66
The Founder of Johns Hopkins.
Philadelphia Press.
Eighty years ago an awkward, ungainly
country boy was keeping store for his uncle
IN Anne Arundel County, about forty miles
from Baltimore. He was shrewd and atten-
tive. He made more money out of the store
H. - II l..